From the pages of the Down Recorder, January 22, 1992

From the pages of the Down Recorder, January 22, 1992

26 January 2022

DOWNPATRICK – An announcement is expected shortly that the multi-million pound ring-road for Downpatrick has been abandoned.

The Government is believed to have given the thumbs down to the scheme, along with another to construct a link road between Church Street and Scotch Street.

South Down MP Mr Eddie McGrady, yesterday labelled the decisions as a “total indictment of Government planning,” and he has asked for an urgent meeting with the Environment Minister, Mr Richard Needham, to seek a reconsideration.

The ring road, which would join the Ballydugan Road and Belfast Road, has long been viewed as the keystone to the Downpatrick regeneration project which was launched by Mr Needham over 12 months ago.

At that time he came out strongly in favour of the ring road but the massive cost of such a project is believed to have swayed the Government towards the abandonment decision.

What has further angered Mr McGrady is that the ring road replaced the Church Street/Scotch Street link for which money had been available last year.

“Now that money has gone presumably spent elsewhere, so that no funds are available this year or next,” said Mr McGrady. “At the time, when it was alleged that new studies were required. I accused the departmental officials of paralysis by analysis and unfortunately that has proved to be true.

“Since then, of course, the traffic congestion, which is now traffic chaos, has been greatly increased by the Irish Street closure, and it should be noted that not a single traffic management action has been initiated in the interval,” he continued.

NEWCASTLE  – A cross-community unity campaign has been launched to save Newcastle’s only public residential home from closure.

Mourne House has been targeted for closed by the Eastern Health and Social Services Board but this week local politicians have joined with the Friends of Mourne House in mobilising public support against the plan.

Representatives from the Friends group have already met with Board officials in a bid to persuade them to adopt a proposal from the charity, Age Concern, which is offering to take over the management of the 30 year-old home. 

DUNDRUM – Over £25,000 damage has been caused in another arson attack in Dundrum.

Two caravans were completely destroyed and another badly damaged in the attack at the Bayview Caravan Site off the Dromara Road early on Saturday morning.

It is believed the blazes were started in the early hours and two of the caravans were well alight by the time fire crews arrived on the scene.

The incident is the latest in a long line of malicious arson attacks in the village which police believe are the work of a pyromaniac.

Just before Christmas the village’s two primary schools were targeted with the Downshire Primary School sustaining over £50,000 damage. The arsonist has also attacked Dundrum cricket club, the orange hall and the parochial hall.

BRYANSFORD – Plans have been announced to convert one of Bryansford’s most historic landmarks into apartments, a craft shop and a restaurant.

The former home of the Earl of Roden, close to the gates of Tollymore Park, will be converted into eight apartments, and an outbuilding will be extended to form a craft shop and restaurant facility if planning permission is granted by the DoE.

A further planning application proposes to build a number of luxury apartments on a site to the rear of the building, with an access from the nearby Burrenreagh Road. 

The building, which comprises extensive outbuildings and a courtyard, was used as a travellers’ inn during the last century when the Roden family lived in Tollymore House in the forest park.

Since the destruction of Tollymore House the inn has been the home of the present Earl of Roden. In 1990 it was the scene of an antiques robbery in which Lord Roden was tied up and threatened as raiders stole valuable paintings and antiques.

Part of the outbuildings were regularly used by youth groups for residential weekends in the Mournes.

BALLYNAHINCH – The job losses at the Ballynahinch GPT plant mean the ‘Big Three’ players in Down District industry no longer top the 200 jobs mark.

GEC Plessey Telecommunications was the last of the ‘Big Three’ to employ more than 200 on one site.

The lay-offs mean there are virtually no large-scale industrial employers left in Down.

The GPT plant has been set on a steady course of expansion, even after the amalgamation of Plessey, as it then was, with GEC in 1988. It took over the vacant Albion clothing factory on the Antrim Road and at one point last year was employing 380 people.

The number has been whittled away and will be reduced to 130 employees.

The other two major employers have also been hit over the last four years. The Shirley Tannery, owned by English-based Pittard Garnar at the time, employed 200 until its closure was announced in February 1988. Although it re-opened later that year, the numbers employed has been dramatically scaled down.

The decline in the numbers is even more pronounced when it is considered that in its heyday in the late 1960’s, the tannery employed up to 500 people.

STRANGFORD – There has been a renewed call for a bridge linking Strangford and Portaferry.

The newly-formed Strangford Lough Bridge Project Group says a bridge across the Strangford Narrows is the only means of guaranteeing a continuous link across the lough.

However, the group accepts that a scheme involving a barrage to harness tidal power would be environmentally unacceptable.

Group chairman, Mr James McMullan, from Portaferry, said” “I believe there is overwhelming support for a bridge.”

“People in Portaferry are concerned about the future of the DoE ferry service. A bridge has to be the ultimate answer. It would provide a link 24 hours a day and would not be subject to breakdowns,” he continued.

And Mr McMullan says he intends to seek the support of local councillors for his proposal.

“I accept a barrage would have environmental implications but a bridge on its own would benefit communities on both sides of the lough,” he added.

RACING – A campaign to introduce Sunday horse racing in Britain could result in Sabbath day racing coming under starters orders at Downpatrick.

Mr Iain Duff, course registrar at Downpatrick, has given his support to the Jockey Club campaign and is demanding sweeping changes in legislation which prohibits betting on a Sunday.

Mr Duff says Downpatrick and Down Royal – the Province’s other racetrack – should be allowed to hold Sunday meetings.

Mr Duff says the law could be changed easily by making an Order in Council which would then enable tracks to hold meetings when people are most prepared to go racing on Sunday.

He believes the move is needed to bring racing here into line with the Republic where Sunday racing was introduced some years ago.

“Sunday racing in the Republic has proved to be a wholesale success. Surveys have shown more people go racing on a Sunday than on any other day,” he remarked.

“Yet the Northern Ireland Minister of Agriculture last November rejected the appeals of deputations representation Downpatrick and Down Royal seeking an equal opportunity.”

Mr Duff said that if Sunday racing is permitted, the law relating to gambling would have to be changed.

Mr Duff added: “Everybody in racing respects the views of people who may be against Sunday racing, but I don’t think they should be allowed to dictate to the majority.”